Centennial cheer takes second behind strong senior core

Centennial High School senior Lorena Zamora walked off the mat with a second-place trophy in hand—but not without a sense of pride.  

“Even though we came back with a second-place trophy, I still feel like a champion,” Zamora said. “I feel like a winner walking off that floor.” 

The Hawks finished runner-up at the state spirit championships, continuing a stretch of near misses in one of New Mexico’s toughest divisions. For head coach Sabrina Zamora, Lorena’s mother, the result carried both weight and frustration.  

“It was a little bittersweet. We’ve been in this position for the last three years,” she said. “We’re right there.” 

This year’s team leaned on experience, with a senior-heavy core setting the tone early and carrying it through the season. That continuity shaped a group built less on results and more on connection. 

“They really had one vision,” Sabrina Zamora said. “They had that family mentality.” 

That connection was shown long before state. From summer camp to the final routine, the group moved with a shared purpose. Small moments stacked, building toward something bigger than a single performance.  

For Lorena Zamora, a senior committed to California Baptist University, the season marked both an ending and a shift forward. The next level didn’t just wait—it influenced how she approached each day. 

“It really flipped a switch to work harder,” she said.  

That urgency met emotion in the moments before stepping onto the mat. 

“I was nervous, but I also felt super safe and united,” Zamora said. “Our team truly felt like a family.” 

Inside the arena, support came from unexpected places, reshaping the intensity of competition into something more communal. That sense of unity extended beyond their own sidelines.  

“It didn’t feel like anyone was rooting on our downfall,” Zamora said. “It felt like everyone was just so supportive.” 

While veterans anchored the team, others experienced the season from an entirely different starting point.  

For Christa Kvistgaard, an exchange student from Sweeden, the year began with uncertainty. She arrived without prior cheer experience, adjusting not only to a new sport, but to a new country.Over time, unfamiliarity gave way to belonging. What followed was rapid growth. 

“I’ve never cheered before this season, I came into this knowing nobody,” Kvistgaard said. “If someone would have shown me how amazing everything would turn out, I would not have been able to believe it.” 

Christa Kvistgaard didn’t just adapt—she became part of the identity that defined Centennial’s season. 

“This experience has made such a big impact on me,” she said. “I’ll cherish these moments forever.” 

Within the program, that foundation remained strong, with a large group of returning athletes positioning Centennial to stay in contention. 

For now, the result carries both pride and motivation.  

“The bond, nothing could break our bond,” Zamora said.